Ex-PlayStation CEO Says Japanese Studios Unsuccessful In Reaching Global Audiences

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The Japanese Sony Market is Making Strides Recently!

Story Highlight
  • Former PlayStation CEO Shawn Layden has said that Japanese studios have failed to reach global audiences.
  • Despite having super-talented people, he thinks many Japanese studios have failed to replicate past successes.
  • His pessimistic views have come off as controversial to most gamers, considering Sony’s recent hits in the Japanese market.

Compared to Xbox, Sony has been making drastic advancements in reaching the Japanese markets and has local gaming studios in the global gaming industry. While many have commended the giant conglomerate on its recent progress, the former PlayStation boss, Shawn Layden, has shared quite a pessimistic view of the current Japanese gaming market.

Shawn Layden has criticized the Japanese studios for trying to reach global audiences, clarifying that many of these teams have been unsuccessful in capturing global attention. He believes these studios should instead focus on the local markets first before taking on drastic international ventures. 

Why it matters: Shawn Layden’s pessimistic views regarding Japanese Sony studios have surprised most gamers, considering the recent successes. 

Astro Bot game
Astro Bot, One of the Best Platformers, Was Developed By A Japanese Studio.

Speaking with IGN Japan in a new interview, the former PlayStation CEO also shared his pessimistic outlook on the Japanese gaming market in general. He noted that many Japanese studios have failed to recapture the past successes in recent times. This view comes contrary to recent advances made by Japanese first-party studios like Team Asobi and others.

Many of these teams have not been successful for a long time and are struggling to replicate their past success.

-Shawn Layden

Shawn also found it unsurprising for the PlayStation Japan studio to merge with Team Asobi since the former allegedly failed to have a hit release for a long time. 

Gran Turismo 7 is another massive Japanese PlayStation entry that has dominated the racing genre globally.
Gran Turismo 7 is another massive Japanese PlayStation entry 

On the flip side, he has applauded Square Enix for giving up on its ambition to expand development overseas to ensure that the local Japanese market is not neglected.

Shawn Layden’s take on Japanese Sony studios has been met with controversy by the community. But what are your thoughts regarding his opinions? Do let us know in the comments below, or join us for a discussion on the official Tech4Gamers forum.

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